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6587Re: Query about "Topland" name

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Pat Townshend Alnes

Oct 5, 2011

Dagfinn

Topland Alberta................

You might try finding out if there are Norwegians
or their offsprings( etterkommener) living in the area of Topland, Canada.
If so where in Norway they arrived from. . IF the name Topland
has roots in Norway it doesn't mean that the surnames were Topland. Remember
that some families had several surnames over the years due to where they lived,
farms names, workplace names and their fathers first name with "Son" on the end
of it.and even changed spelling sometimes again when arriving in the
Canada.

Also e-mail the archives in Kristiansand to
see if they have an "Utvanders liste" in their records for the
area Topland, Norway. Also Topland, Norway might have a Bygdebok
of families that resided there so you can find out if someone earlier
in your father's family has left Norway for Canda as destination. If
you don't have bygdebok yourself then the nearst library usually have them for
their flyke.

Keep helping your Dad as genealogy can lead one in
many directions and interesting finds.

My daddy, 82 just started using the internet and did a search on
our last name. He basically found references in Norway, just like
expected but also in Thailand and Canada. The Thai and Canadian responses were
interesting and worth do a quick search on. Unfortunately, daddy do not speak
English and leave communication to me.

Although Google translator do a excellent job translating I hope one day
I can do you a favor if needed. As stated Norwegians read Danish easy, just
like Swedish. Finns have a totally different language.

Jim, there are
several reference books of names which I've listed (in Danish). I'm assuming
Dagfinn Topland can read and speak Norwegian, and he should be able to
understand Danish. The question is will he be able to access these books
from a library in Canada, and I've no idea if the name he is searching is
there.

There is also
a website that lists Norwegian surnames and although Topland isn't there, he
might try getting in touch with the site's owner. http://www.norskenavn.no/kilder.php

The name
Topland/Toppland does not appear in the "Dictionary of American Family
Names", as it didn't occur frequently enough, nor in "A Dictionary of
Surnames".

However, TOPP,
does:

1. English:
from the Old English byname Topp meaning 'tuft', 'crest', or the cognate Old
Norse Toppr.

2. German:
from Low German topp 'point', 'tree top', hence a topographic name; or
alternatively a metonymic occupational name or nickname from the same word
in the sense 'braid'.

3. German:
variant Dopp.

4. Jewish
(Askenazic): variant spelling of Top

Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names by Patrick Hanks,
Editor

Not the
answer, but this may help Dagfinn.

From Dick Chandler:

Jim

There doesn't
seem to be any individual in the Canadian telephone directory named
Topland. I suspect that Dagfinn has contacted you because there is a
place Topland near Fort Assiniboine, Alberta on the beautiful Athabasca
River. Someone in that community might know why it was so named.
Maybe the Topland Recreation Society on 708 584 2195 could help or put you
in touch with someone. I suspect it has more to do with "first class"
or "high" land than a Norwegian settler's hometown, but you never
know!

I would like to come in contact with someone who can
explain where the name "Topland" used in your region originates from.
Topland is a small farm in Norway,l around 50 km inland from Lillesand
in South of Norway. We knew lots of Norwegians emigrated to the
north west area long time ago but do not know any using the name
Topland emigrated. If there is, we might be able to trace them
down.

If the Topland name originates from Norway this is
the only place in Norway having this name. In case there are a connection,
here are some information.

The name is several hundred years old and there is
a dispute between two explanations: Top of the
land. Today's language would easy translate into this and the
Danish language used back then bu the authorities also support
that explanation. The top of a mountain of "on top of" is very clear
in proper norvegian, Topp, double "P" in the end of the word. The
other explaination is Two (to in Norwegian) plan (levels). The topography
can easy support this explaination, so far none have been able to
make a clear conclusion.

Today there are two small farms at Topland. at the
lower one, north is my brother and father living. They have some
few cattle, only to have some activity. On the other the owner moved
away just some months ago. In addition there was a small farm between the
two existing today, and we can still find the foundation from the one of top
of the mountain, Toplandsheia. In addition there is a small place
called "Solheim" that used to be populated by people who worked at the other
farm.

Long back only one farm existed, the upper one.
Between the two farms is a small grass field that once was used for growing
potatoes. Around 100 yrs ago they found a sword from the viking age
indicating the area was populated nearly 1000 yrs
ago.